1. What was the purpose of holding a convention of state delegates in Philadelphia?

2. Shays Rebellion provided an example.
Under the Articles of Confederation the States developed their own set of laws
…the fruit of their victory would be “A multitude of Commonwealths, Crimes and Calamities, Centuries of mutual jealousies, Hatreds, Wars of Devastation; till at last the exhausted Provinces shall sink into Slavery under the yoke of some fortunate Conqueror.”
- John Dickinson
Letter to William Pitt, 1765
Use to show how what Dickinson believed if the colonies were to separate from GB, would happen was seemingly happening.
Economic jealousies were growing, as well as a divide between slave and free economies
Spain was pushing us from the South and the British had not left their posts in the Northwest.

3. A Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government
The economy of the States was quickly declining.
Leaders called for a meeting in Annapolis, Maryland to discuss providing the Articles of Confederation the power to regulate commerce
Only 5 states delegates arrived, but determined to suggest a convention of all states in Philadelphia

4. The brain child of Alexander Hamilton who calls for a more vigorous and energetic government

5. Men like Washington, believe the Articles are inadequate for what the nation will need

6. James Madison comes with plan in hand and a caucus of nationalists forms and is determined to get rid of the confederation

7. Constitutional Convention
Reaching a Compromise

8. Which Plan is closer to meeting the original goal of the Convention?
Branches
Three - legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislature was more powerful, as it chose people to serve in the executive and judicial branches.
Legislature
Two houses (bicameral). The House of Representatives was elected by the people and the Senate was elected by the state legislatures. Both were represented proportionally.
Other Powers
The legislature could regulate interstate trade, strike down laws deemed unconstitutional and use armed forces to enforce laws.
Branches
Three - legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislature appoints people to serve in the executive branch, and the executive branch selects the justices of the Supreme Court.
Legislature
One house (unicameral). States would be represented equally, so all states had the same power.
Other Powers
The national government could levy taxes and import duties, regulate trade, and state laws would be subordinate to laws passed by the national legislature.
Which Plan is closer to meeting the original goal of the Convention?

9. Though the Convention adopted the Virginia Plan, Several Questions Still Remained
How should the number of representatives from each state be determined?
According to population?
Should each state have an equal vote, no matter how large or small its population?

10. Solving the Problem of Representation
Large States like Virginia desired Proportional Representation arguing in order for the new government to be more directly related to the people, states with larger populations should have more representatives.
Small States like New Jersey desired Equal Representation arguing that a government under proportional representation would lead to domination by the more populated states.

11. “Where do the people fit in?”
In the Virginia Plan the people are everywhere and the states no where
In the New Jersey Plan the people are nowhere and the states everywhere
“We are partly federal and partly national”

12. The Great Compromise Bi-Cameral or Two-House Legislature
The House of Representatives would be elected by the people on the basis of proportional population.
There would be equal representation of each state in the Senate. The legislatures of each state would select 2 Senators.
Oliver Ellsworth & Roger Sherman of Connecticut
"Mr. Sharman proposed that the proportion of suffrage in the 1st branch [the House] should be according to the respective numbers of free inhabitants; and that in the second branch or Senate, each state should have one vote and no more."

13. What Issues Separated the Northern and Southern States?
SLAVERY

14. Changing Historian’s Viewpoint
Charles Beard wrote a groundbreaking history of the making of the Constitution
Argued economics played a major role
Most delegates had invested in public securities and stood to gain from strengthening public credit
He argued that the makers of the Constitution were seeking to protect their own economic interests

15. Viewpoints North Economy did not call for use of slaves
Many opposed slavery
Some worked toward abolishing slavery
Some merchants who relied on trade with southern states were sympathetic
South
Needed slave labor to produce crops
Viewed slaves as personal property
Warned that their states would not ratify a Const. that denied them the right to keep slaves

16. 3/5 Compromise
Congress receives power to regulate commerce, but could not tax exports
Constitution would not deal with importation of slaves until January 1, 1808 (20 years) – Could tax imported slaves in the meantime
Slaves would be counted as 3/5 a person when determining population
Fugitive Slave Clause of Article IV allowed for return of escaped slaves

17. “Without the ‘federal ratio’ no union could possibly have been formed